Not Applicable.
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to decorative grass and methods for producing same, and more particularly, but not by way of limitation, to curled, intertwined decorative grass simulating Spanish moss and methods for producing same.
2. Brief Description of Prior Art
Spanish moss is an epiphytic of the pineapple family which forms pendent tufts of grayish green filaments on trees from the southern United States of America to Argentina. Spanish moss, when dried has heretofore been used as decorative material as well as a packing material. However, Spanish moss is expensive and Spanish moss often contains undesirable amounts of chaff and dust.
Synthetic decorative grass has been used for many years in Easter baskets and for other decorative purposes. The synthetic decorative grass of the prior art has been produced by numerous methods and from a variety of materials such as polymeric materials, paper, cellophane or the like. Typically, such materials are cut and shredded to produce segments having predetermined dimensions. One such prior art method for making decorative grass is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,292,266, issued to Weder, et al., wherein a plastic film is extruded and cut into plastic strips which are passed through a slow-speed godet, an oven and a high-speed godet so that the strips are drawn down in width and thickness without breaking. From the high-speed godet, the strips or strands are chopped to a desired length and conveyed to a storage area for subsequent bagging and packaging.
While the prior art methods for making decorative grass have been widely accepted, new and improved methods for making decorative grasses having improved bulk and aesthetic qualities, such as simulating the appearance of Spanish moss, are being sought which are less costly. It is to such decorative grasses and methods for producing same that the present invention is directed.
The present invention relates to curled, intertwined decorative grasses having improved bulk and which simulate the appearance of Spanish moss. In one aspect, the present invention relates to methods for making decorative grasses which simulate, in appearance and color, Spanish moss. Because of the reduced amount of chaff and dust present in the curled decorative grasses simulating the appearance of Spanish moss made in accordance with the present invention, as well as the increased bulk of such curled decorative grasses, such decorative grasses can be used as decorative materials, as a filler for Easter baskets, i.e. Easter grass, as well as for animal bedding, cat litter, mulch for soil and media for plants.
The curled decorative grasses having improved bulk and which simulate the appearance of Spanish moss are produced by imparting a curl to a web or sheet of material having a color simulating the color of Spanish moss (i.e. grayish green) and thereafter cutting the curled web or sheet of material into stands of material which are intertwined and simulate Spanish moss in appearance.
The web or sheet of material can be formed of any material capable of being curled and dyed to a color simulating the color of spanish moss. Examples of materials which can be used as the web or sheet of material in the production of curled, intertwined decorative grasses which simulate Spanish moss in appearance are paper and laminates, such as laminates made of at least two polymeric films, or laminates made of polymeric film and paper, or laminates made of metal foil and a polymeric film or paper.
An object of the present invention is to provide curled decorative grasses which simulate the appearance of Spanish moss.
Another object of the present invention, while achieving the before-stated object, is to provide curled decorative grasses which simulate the appearance of Spanish moss and which have improved bulk.
Yet another object of the present invention, while achieving the before-stated objects, is to provide methods for producing curled decorative grasses simulating the appearance of Spanish moss which are cost effective.
Other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following detailed description when read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings and appended claims.